R M , R B ? W H -H S - I
Source: rcgd.isr.umich.edu
Topic: Hip Hop
Sort Desciption: “The Hip Hop Paradigm: Mapping and Transcending its Boundaries” held at the ... purpose of this edition is to highlight the ways in which hip-hop music and ...
Content Inside: Perspectives 67 R AP M USIC , IS IT R EALLY ALL B AD ? W HY H IP -H OP S CHOL - ARSHIP IS I MPORTANT R. L’Heureux Lewis, Sociology and Public Policy, University of Michigan Mischa E. Thompson, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan Aaron K. Celious, Program for Research on Black Americans, University of Michigan R. Khari Brown, Social Work and Sociology, University of Michigan This special section of African American Research Perspectives on hip-hop is a result of a call for papers that went out to participants at the Hip-Hop conference entitled, “The Hip Hop Paradigm: Mapping and Transcending its Boundaries” held at the University of Michigan in March 2001. The conference featured researchers, educa- tors, and artists that focused on hip-hop culture (i.e., dance, deejaying, emceeing, and graffiti art) as a means of expression and subject of critical analysis. Some of the featured panelists included hip-hop scholar and keynote speaker, Dr. Tricia Rose, hip-hop pioneer, Afrika Bambaataa, and break-dancer, Crazy Legs. Conference pre- senters spoke on topics ranging from the use of hip-hop for political empowerment to its impact on female listeners. In building off the success of the conference, the purpose of this edition is to highlight the ways in which hip-hop music and culture are being studied and to challenge common associations between hip-hop and anti- social behavior. The articles presented in this section offer a multi-faceted view of hip-hop culture with a focus on its potential to positively impact its audience. Dixon and Brooks largely argue that much of the criticism about rap’s role in the declining moral stan- dard among America’s youth is unfounded. While it is true that rap music and videos contain violent and misogynist content and images, they argue that it is not clear how rap audiences actually interpret these messages and images. Researchers have paid little attention to the themes present within rap music an ...
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